How they lost

I have discovered what I humbly consider to be the most perfect use of the gif wall medium possible: The reaction shots of Oscar losers. As they are broadcast, you simply cannot take them all in since they're spread out on the screen in tiny boxes, and last but seconds. They're just flickers of emotion. I think that placing them side by side on infinite loops works best to fully read the reactions of disappointment, bitchiness, feigned cheer and actual cheer. As much as losing an Oscar (or winning even) is kind of an emotional Rorschach for the nominated actors, reading their expressions is a Rorschach for the viewers. Except for the really bitchy ones. Those we can all agree on.

Below are so so many examples of fallen dreams. Each row is all of the (present) members of one year's given category (I'm only using actors and actresses here). On far right, I've included the reaction of the winners just for good measure. Have fun laughing at their pain!

Meryl Streep has class and great social manners; she knows how to act win or lose! Why act up when you have to deal with same academy voters next time you are up for an award LOL - being a class act is the way to go. Most of them will wind up with a lifetime achievement oscar at some point anyway if they are around long enough. Longevity counts in Hollywood

Erin, it was because Sean Connery only said "Catherine" when he announced the winner and Kathy Bates briefly assumed he was calling her name. So I don't blame her look. Susan Lucci suffered a worse reaction when Susan Flannery won Best Actress at the Emmys one year and started walking towards the stage, when Flannery actually won.

If you're ever nominated for an Oscar you know you'll lose if the following two things are in your category....

-Some old actor/actress that has been nominated a million times for amazing things and is now nominated for something mundane. They will win.

-An actor/actress that gained/lost weight or had another major physical change to show how "in character" they were. They will win.

To me the most bullshit wins (off the top of my head) were when the actress won an Oscar for Network, and her entire time in the film totaled 25 minutes. Also Anna Paquin winning. Tatum O'Neal as child ingenue I can get behind. Paquin just chattered non-stop like any annoying kid.

The collection of with Thomas Haden Church, Alan Alda, Morgan Freeman, Clive Owen, and Jamie Foxx is out of order. Jamie didn't win that night for Supporting Actor (though he was up for Collateral). Morgan Freeman was the winner for Million Dollar Baby.

I love Meryl Streep and Diane Keaton... they are both goddesses... besides that, who wouldn't be disappointed at losing? You have to be packed with amazing talent and confidence to be glad for others when they win.

What I see here is people who knew they did really good work, work that cost them and raised them above their every day selves and were pleased someone else knew that too, but they were happy for the one that got the Oscar none the less.

And, I see a few who were truly let down they did not get to say, "You see? I DO deserve to be on the rolls of the immortals." when they they always feared they did not.